Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin rules quarterback Aaron Rodgers out with a left wrist injury just hours before kickoff against the Bears at Soldier Field.
Injuries are not exactly on the Bears’ side this Sunday. Chicago will be without starting linebackers T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmonds, and Noah Sewell — a brutal trio to lose in one week.
Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon still aren’t ready to return either, leaving the Bears’ already struggling defense depleted at every level.
But the Bears did catch one break in the final hours before the game.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup at Soldier Field with a left wrist injury. Rodgers pushed all week to play, clearly valuing another chance to face the Bears — maybe for the final time in his career.
Instead, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin broke the news to Evan Washburn at Soldier Field just hours before kickoff. Rodgers out. Mason Rudolph in. Tomlin called the decision “the prudent play for us as a collective.”
On the field, the difference may not be massive. At this stage of Rodgers’ career, with limited mobility, he might have been an easier target for a Bears defensive line that has struggled to generate pressure. Rudolph, meanwhile, completed 75 percent of his passes for 127 yards and a touchdown last week against Cincinnati in relief of Rodgers. He’s a perfectly capable backup.
But even if the on-field difference isn’t dramatic, the vibe absolutely is. Rodgers has spent a career finding new ways to torment Chicago, and as Ben Johnson tries to change the culture and prove these aren’t the “same old Bears,” losing a crucial game at the hands of Aaron Rodgers would have been a tough look.
No matter how confident Bears fans may have been going into this game, when Aaron Rodgers is the opposing quarterback, it's hard to imagine a world where Chicago comes out on top.
Win or lose, the matchup won’t feel quite the same now — but if the Bears get to 8–3 and take another big step toward the postseason, nobody in Chicago will complain about finding a different way to beat the Steelers.
According to The Athletic's playoff simulator, the Bears currently hold a 48 percent chance to make the playoffs in a competitive NFC. With a win over the Steelers, those odds improve to 59 percent. With a loss, they dip down to 36 percent.
Those are some pretty severe stakes as Chicago braces itself for a difficult finish to the 2025 schedule.